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Creating an Architectural Travel Film

Create your own travel movie from all your video clips to share is easier than you may think. Video can be the most amazing way to capture, relive and share your architectural experiences. There are a few advantages of video over photography such as the obvious sound, but video also replicates movement and time very differently than photography because it is capable of capturing what comes before and after. When visiting and documenting architecture although the subject matter is likely static the viewer is not and some buildings truly unfold and develop as you move through them, video is a perfect way to capture these experiences.

For the amateur film maker, like myself, your DSLR or point and shoot camera will have a video mode and that will be good enough.

Here are some tips on how to create your travel videos:

The idea

Have an idea of what you want your travel video(s) to be, for example do you want to create a series of videos of different architectural projects or will you compile a series of short snap shots of different buildings. Your video can take on themes similar to photography:

easily recognizable,

very objective

experimental,

detail based

snap shot of for comparison,

a story

artsy

Be sure your video has a beginning, middle and end.

Tripod

Use a tripod when possible, unlike still photography where shutter speeds can be increased to prevent blurry photos a video may be harder to prevent shaky footage. Many times a tripod is not permitted in public buildings so try to keep this in mind and use similar techniques for holding your camera as covered in the photography section.

10 second rule

In film production there is a “10 second rule” which means that every 10 seconds something interesting should happen. When filming architecture it may be difficult to get action is every scene. If your scene is uneventful you can edit the shot in post-production but at least you will have enough footage if you choose to add a fade or narration. An easy way to add action in your architectural film is to include people, they will give scale and show interaction with the space, also use light, the sun moves, and a long video can be speed up in post-production and be very dynamic.

Variety

It is a good idea to vary your scenes; this will keep it interesting and add interest to your travel movie. Try to capture less common vantage points, film the details and overall shots, ensure you have a variety of camera angles such as shooting low and high, on the side or on an angle. Remember, as per photography architecture reads better when photographed and filmed at chest height. All of this variety will help tell the story and keep your viewers interested.

Avoid

Try to avoid zooming in and out which will appear amateur and avoid panning your camera without a tripod since it will be very difficult to do it without shaking.

Separate audio

If you intend on using the audio captured in situ try to use separate audio devise such as your smart phone or tape recorder and leave the recorder running longer. This will let you match the studio to the edited video separately allowing you more control over the sound and no choppy sound bits. Ie: city traffic, people talking, religious chanting etc.

Equipment

Keep in mind that video will use up more space on your memory card and require more battery. It is recommended you buy an extra good quality memory card (they are not all created equal) and test the life of your battery, perhaps investing in an additional battery.

Observe

Pay attention when you are watching movies and film, there is architecture in most of them; notice how the camera angles are setup how the building is presented even if it is a backdrop. Often we do not notice the nuances of a craft until we try it ourselves.

This all sounds like a lot of work while in situ however a few seconds of film here and there can make for a fantastic short video but I would recommend some practicing at home or around your neighbourhood the first few times to become familiar with video if it is new to you.